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This page is part of RoadOde's suite of sites. RoadOde owns the domain, www.MargaretHamilton.com, and you can also get here using that URL. Thanks for visiting this tribute to the Wicked Witch of the West. |
Kind Heart, Gentle Soul I've always had a soft spot for that wicked old witch. Whether she was Miss Almira Gulch, the busybody who stuffed Toto into the picnic basket, or the Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton, brought the fantasy to life.
Believe it or not, she appeared in the Wizard of Oz for only 12 minutes, but what an impact she made.
 The movie did not bring Ms. Hamilton fortune, nor did it particularly bring her fame. Nothing much happened for her after the hoopla of the movie's release died down. It wasn't until the 1970's that her career blossomed again.
As Maxwell House Coffee's spokesperson, Cora (the nice old shop-keeper with the no-nonsense New England charm), Hamilton was once again in the well-deserved spotlight. Cora was so popular that she even "penned" a cookbook, with Hamilton's image on the cover. But nowhere in this book is "Margaret Hamilton" mentioned; just "Cora".
Appearances, Commercials, Outtakes, Bloopers, and Oz
The Addams Family
 In this hilarious episode, "Granny Frump" thinks she's headed for the retirement home, and pulls out all stops to prove how young she is.
time 1:12 size 1.3 mb aired 1966
The Patty Duke Show
 A brief and silent appearance, as a disbelieving house-keeper. This clip is a combination of two different scenes from the show.
time 0:31 size 426 kb aired 1963
Cora #2, for Maxwell House Coffee
 Here is another ad with Margaret as Cora. She looks a bit older here than she did in clip #1.
time 0:34 size 913 kb aired 1970s
Cora #1, for Maxwell House Coffee
 One of several Maxwell House Coffee ads that Hamilton did in the 1970s.
time 1:03 size 807 kb aired 1970s
Safety Plate Glass (Oldsmobile)
 Early commercial for Oldsmobile, with Hamilton playing a Miss Gulch-like character.
time 1:03 size 841 kb aired 1957
Gunsmoke Outtake
 An introduction to the humor of Margaret Hamilton, in a Gunsmoke episode. Her zinger comes at the very end, but watch as she builds up to it.
time 0:48 size 642 kb show aired January 1973
Wizard of Oz Bloopers
 Series of real bloopers in the movie, one of which features the Wicked Witch.
This clip was hijacked by somebody and placed on YouTube, where it has been viewed over 51,000 times. You should go there and read some of testier remarks made by people. My favorite: Um Hello????? those are not bloopers its Continuity when it just changes in the scene thats why they cant move anything in between scenes!!! Its not bloopers!!!!
WHAT...ever. Now about those missing ruby slippers...
time 2:49 size 2.44 mb aired 1939
Tales of the Wizard of Oz
 Intro to an old children's cartoon from 1961, Tales of the Wizard of Oz.
time 0:39 size 525 kb aired 1961
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Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion) for Lays Potato Chips (1960s) (December 27)Bet'choo can't eat just one!
 No Maggie in this one, but it features her co-star from the Wizard of Oz, Bert Lahr. Back in the 1960s, Lahr was the extremely effective spokesperson for Lays Potato Chips.
Lahr created several ads for Frito-Lay...and they're all difficult to find.
time 0:21 size 517 kb aired 1960s
Halloween Videos 1976Special thanks to Susie at the Paul Lynde Fan Site for a copy of the rare 1976 Halloween television special, with guest star Margaret Hamilton. Thanks, Susie! Here are three:
Three Wishes
 Maggie dons her Wicked Witch of the West costume and green make-up, on the Paul Lynde Halloween Special.
time 1:17 size 1.02 mb aired 1976
What's the Matter With Kids Today?
 Includes a brief appearance by Margaret and a bit of a dance, and brief appearances by Donny and Marie Osmond, on the Paul Lynde Halloween Special.
time 1:21 size 1.6 mb aired 1976
My Sister's House
 Paul Lynde and Margaret, in the drive to her sister's house, from the Paul Lynde Halloween Special.
time 1:39 size 1.97 mb aired 1976
Dolls, Dolls, Dolls Sometime in the 1980s, Oz-mania was in full swing, and collectibles popped up everywhere. A set of stuffed dolls, complete with Yellow-Brick Road stands for each, was among the spendier items.
In hindsight to collectibles produced today, these '80s versions were rather inelegant. The Witch, even though she had a way too friendly smile on her face, was the best of the bunch.She's Melting
Above, an authentic photograph signed by Margaret Hamilton and Ray Bolger. My source for this photo is a person who was friendly with Ms. Hamilton. She had signed several photos for him, and she passed this particular one to the Scarecrow, Ray Bolger, for his autograph.
 Coincidentally, Hallmark came out with a Christmas ornament for 2004 that is an almost exact replica of this scene. The main difference is that Dorothy is standing next to the Witch.
In 2004 (into 2005), Lenox released an intricate set of figurines from Oz: Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman, Lion, and Witch. Although they are pricey, their elegance and astonishing detail make them one of the better collectible sets.
 
Wizard of Oz Myths Myth: Safety was priority number one during the shooting of this movie.
Reality: Especially in the case of Ms. Hamilton, safety was hardly an after-thought. During her disappearing act in Munchkinland, when the flames shot up, so did her clothing. The skin on her right hand was burned away, gone. The studio basically did nothing, except call her later that day and ask when she was coming back to finish the filming.
Myth: The star of the movie, Judy, earned the most money during filming.
Reality: Judy made the least, the Scarecrow made the most. Toto, the dog, made more per week than any of the Munchkins. Half of what the Munchkins really made per week secretly went to their greedy manager.
Myth: The Munchkins were drunks and sex maniacs.
Reality: The producer of the movie, as well as Judy Garland herself, delighted in telling lies about the little people, especially when Garland made a pitiful appearance on the Jack Paar Show. The lies stuck.
Myth: The main characters in the movie were chummy in real life.
Reality: The Tin Man and the Lion remained close, life-long friends. During filming of Oz, the Wicked Witch did not know any of the main characters, except Judy Garland. The Witch had just one scene with them all (shown in the photo above). Only years later did she become close acquaintances with the Scarecrow, who was actually somewhat of a loner during the filming of the movie. Dorothy was a sweet girl during filming, but in her later years, she bad-mouthed all of her co-stars...apparently out of groundless bitterness (and booze).
Watch this space for more myths in the future!
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